Jacob?
by Skys-The-Man
Summary: A random blurb about an injury Jacob sustains and Bella's twenty minutes of torture as she realizes the fate of her best friend. Not plot based. One Shot.


Jacob was hurt badly. I could tell from the light in his eyes, the way our gaze met for a fraction of a second, but then his eyes would wince in pain. He was gripping his left side, and his breath came in long gasping throbs. With one exchanged look, it was clear that I had to get him back to La Push.

I ran to him and touched his shoulder gently. The skin was blazing underneath the tips of my fingers, and I could feel the throbbing pumps of his frantic heart. The last beats?

"Edward!" I gasped, and suddenly he was there beside me, his gaze cold and focused. His nose twitched and there was a sharp intake of breath, followed by a sigh.

I turned back to Jacob, who was doubled over in an effort to staunch the pain in his side.

"Breathe," I said rhythmically. "Stay with us, Jake."

"I don't know, Bells," he muttered, his voice ragged and pained. Shock wound through the depths of his black eyes, and to my horror his face paled. Suddenly his eyes rolled up into his head and he feel forwards a little bit. Edward caught his shoulder before he could do a face plant in the mud. I caught my breath and dug my knees into the wet ground, face to face with him. His eyes flickered open again and they stared at me, glossy and foreboding.

"We need to get him to La Push," I said urgently, pulling myself up. I kept a firm hand on his shoulder, afraid that he might fall again. I wouldn't be able to hold him up, but he was my wall, standing firmly next to me with an unbreakable power that couldn't be broken.

Edward hung Jacob's arm over his shoulder and winced, but then let the arm fall freely against his. Together they clambered forwards. Jacob moaned something softly and Edwards stopped for a moment, his eyes darting to the gash that sent a line of crimson down Jake's front.

"What?" I gasped, pressing my hands against Jake's face. His gaze kept swimming, and for another horrible moment I was worried that he would loose consciousness. "Jake, stay with me!"

"N-nothing," he muttered weakly, letting his head roll back.

My stomach plummeted and with my hand still holding Jacob's jaw, I looked to Edward. His eyes were surprisingly as worried as mine.

"I'll go quickly," he said pensively, his eyebrows coming together in a gorgeous knit across his forehead. Nodding once, I let him go.

Off they ran. My prince carrying my best friend. Two halves of my swollen heart, leaving me alone in the cold. I shivered at the thought. Shaking my head, I headed for the car. Numbly, I placed the key in the ignition and sat there for a moment. What if I never saw him again? What if that last touch, a sweep of my fingers across his jaw, was the last time…my chest convulsed and I was started out of such thoughts as the truck roared to life. Focus Bella, I told myself.

Carefully, I pulled out of the forest and onto the road. Rain pelted the windshield softly at first, then came down in horrible torrents. The rain would wash the blood out of the clearing, smother all of those horrible memories. The look on Jacob's face when he had been hurt- the terror in his childish eyes and the expression of blissful pain that creased his face- was more than I could handle. Tears welled up in my eyes as I drove blindly through the rain. Every time my heart thudded in my chest, I was forced to wonder…was he still alive?

Something was in the road. Through my blurred vision, I could make out a figure standing erect in between the lanes, staring at me with an enduring ferocity.

"Edward!" I gasped, swerving. I slammed down on the break, but before I could open my door he was sitting next to me, pulling himself into the passenger seat and throwing the seatbelt over his chest gracefully.

"I took him home and came straight back," he said breathlessly, as rain trickled down his hairline and across his parted lips. "He's in Billy and Sam's care now."

"I'm driving straight there," I choked, slamming my foot down onto the gas.

"Bella, I don't know what-"

"Please," I begged, blinking back the tears. "I need to make sure he's okay."

"I made sure that Carlisle knows," he said suddenly, keeping his gaze fixed towards the road ahead. "You might not be allowed to see him."

"I need to," I whispered softly, gripping the steering wheel like a life boat. The only thing that kept me rooted with reality, the only entity that kept me from plunging into the abyss that gathered constantly at the corners of my memories.

The drive up to La Push was silent. Edward could tell that I was in a horrible state of mind. His gaze was kept straight ahead, his breathing rhythmically soothing. But by the time I had pulled into Billy's driveway, sobs were racking my chest from a fear to great and unimaginable that I found it heard to breathe. My Jacob, dead…the thought alone was enough to drive me to the brink of the blackness, reopen the chasm in my chest that Edward had created during his absence…

I tapped my knuckles gently against the door, and wasn't surprised when I heard Billy's rough voice say, "the door's open."

Edward put his hand on my shoulder as we entered the house. It was crowded, undoubtedly. This time, I was thankful that Charlie hadn't been around. Yes, it was getting dark, and he'd be wondering where I had gotten off to. But he'd understand.

"Bella," Billy said, wheeling into the living room. Billy didn't even awgknowledge Edward, who was nothing more than a dark presence behind me. "Dr. Cullen was just able to examine Jake's…injuries."

His voice broke slightly, but I understood. This was the second time that his son had been towed into his home with extensive injuries, possibly not life threatening, but enough of a substance to worry over.

"How is he?" I gasped, grabbing Edward's hand from behind. He squeezed it back. Billy shook his head and touched his chin to his chest solemnly.

"Cullen's not sure. There's a- a cut along the side of his body that shows no intension of healing at a regular pace."

"By regular, you mean-"

"Cullen is stitching him up."

Sure enough, I could hear the sharp intake of breath from Jacob's bedroom. Disregarding Billy, I swept past the chair and stood in the doorway of Jake's bedroom. Inside I found Sam, standing wearily next to a fragile looking Carlisle. Jacob was spread across his bed, his eyes unfocused and pained. His hands were grasped along the bars of his bed frame, and his torso was wildly exposed. Over the rippled muscles, I saw a jagged cut ripping through the perfect tan skin. It was half sewn shut, with Carlisle working anxiously over Jacob. With every stitch Jacob blinked.

"Oh, Jake," I moaned, and I tangled my fingers into his. For a moment, his eyes found mine, and he said through gritted teeth, "Bella."

"Can't you give him any morphine?" I gasped, kneeling beside his head. Carlisle, carefully at work, did not look up. His eyes were pristinely focused on the task at hand. Sam had to answer.

"There wasn't anytime. His bleeding was to extensive."

"It's okay, Jake," I said, barely listening to Sam.

Carlisle worked quickly and efficiently. However, not quickly enough. Jake passed out, his face turning pale and sickly, a minute before Carlisle finished. His fingers fell limp in my hand. Was he…

"He should be fine," Carlisle said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Calle me if anything changes," he said to Billy."

And with that, I let the breath out of my lungs. He was okay…I still had my best friend. Still, the tears ran down my face from exhaustion and Edward pulled me into his arms. I didn't protest when he towed me out to the truck. Gently, with too much care, he placed me in the front seat of the truck and buckled the seatbelt over my torso. Safety first, after all.

I fell asleep to the groaning of the truck as it roared to life, and Edward's soft voice whispering into my ear, "It's alright, Bella. He's going to be alright."

And it was.


End file.
